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Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: JULIE ANDREWS FIRST MIRACLE FILM
Review: MARY POPPINS is undoubtedly the best(with MGM`s The Wizard of Oz)film made for children - ever. And, as with Oz, MARY POPPINS is enjoyed when we mature and show our childhood joys to o u r children. It was Julie Andrews first film and she shines in the titlerole. A Disney product, it proves that his magic was and is peerless.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of Disney's greatest films.
Review: You have to buy this movie if you don't have it already! It's excellent. Julie Andrews is a wonderful Mary Poppins, and Dick Van Dyke a good mate for her as Bert. You'll love the songs "Just a Spoonful of Sugar", "Chim Cheree Cheree", "Supercalifragelisticexpialidocious", "Let's Go Fly a Kite", and "It's a Jolly Holiday"!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: This all time Classic should be in Surround! Why did they not put the restored classic out? Oh well it was still a great veiwing.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: This is the most popular video in the house
Review: Mary Poppins has been the most watched video in the house since I purchased it months ago. The children just love the songs and the dancing. They often get bruised from being so enthusiastic in their dancing. Excellent video for kids.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Supercalifragilisticexpealidociously Fantabulous!
Review: I have loved this movie since as far back as I can remember,and I never tire of watching Mary's wonderful magic, the mischeivous Jane and Michael, the humor of Bert, and just enjoying everything this movie has to offer. There are no boring parts, and I think the more you watch it, the better it gets. If you have never before seen this movie, I strongly reccommend that you do!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Mary Poppins in a classic that never gets old!
Review: My family and I love this movie and I am going to get this for my mom for christmas because she has seen it since fourth grade and still loves this timeless classic. The content is for all ages, including helarious, beautiful, and exciting action. It's just the best!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Clean picture, excellent dolby digital sound
Review: One of the few Disney movies available on DVD. The sound alone makes this one worth buying. The DD 5.1 is clean and well done, voices and instruments cleaned up and separated. A classic movie worth seeing again and again just to enjoy the extremely well done sound on this DVD END

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: It's a Jolly Holiday With Mary!
Review: "Mary Poppins." Many film critics call it the best Walt Disney movie ever made... the crowning achievement from a studio that has brought us such timeless classics as "Fantasia," "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves," "Bambi," "Beauty and the Beast," and "The Lion King." For my money, Mary Poppins tops 'em all! This fabulous musical comedy, starring Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, David Tomlinson, and Glynis Johns, and based on the best selling British children's books written by P.L. Travers, ranks as one of the two best children's movies ever made. (The other being "The Wizard of Oz.")

Where to begin? This is such an extraordinary movie!! It has everything that a great kid's movie should have: a wonderful story that teaches strong family values; a brilliant cast; absolutely stunning special effects (even by today's standards); and wonderful music. Here are just a few of the things I like best about "Mary Poppins:"

THE ACTING is absolutely brilliant! Julie Andrews won a Best Actress Academy Award for her portrayal of Mary Poppins. She imbues her character with the reserve so prevalent in British society during the Victorian and Edwardian eras. At the same time, she manages to convey a wonderful sense of joy, kindness, and compassion toward the children. Dick Van Dyke is superb as the carefree chimney sweep ans jack-of-all-trades, Bert. His relaxed comic style is perfectly matched to his character. And, while his Cockney accent doesn't quite deliver the goods accurately, it's nevertheless pretty good. (By the way, look for Mr. Van Dyke in a secondary role in this film. I won't tell you which one... but it's unlikely you'll miss him!) David Tomlinson is the third stand-out member of this fabulous ensemble cast. He's practically perfect as the pompous, stuffy martinet of a father, George Banks. Other cast members are excellent as well, especially Glynis Johns as Winifred Banks; and Ed Wynn in his hilarious role as the laughing man, Uncle Albert.

THE WRITING: Screen writers Bill Walsh and Don Da Gradi adapted "Mary Poppins" from the series of British children's books authored by P.L. Travers (1899-1996) This is a tender story that addresses many family issues that were as problematic at the beginning of the twentieth century as they are today: responsibility, accountability, and the proper role of parents in the rearing of their children. In the Banks household, we find a family with many of the same problems that afflict today's families: two parents, each focused on their own interests, each so busy with their own lives that they have precious little time to forge and maintain loving bonds with their children. What are the possible consequences for the children? How can these problems be addressed and solved? The beauty of this story is that it's done in a way that's easy for kids, even younger ones (I'd say ages six and older) to understand and learn from.

THE MUSIC: All of the music and lyrics in "Mary Poppins" are original... composed by Richard Sherman and his brother Robert. This film has some of the best songs ever to appear in a movie! Each song is in itself a classic: "A Spoonful of Sugar;" "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious;" (I think that's how it's spelled!); "Feed the Birds" (my personal favorite); Academy Award-winning "Chim Chim Cher-ee;" "Step in Time;" and "Let's Go Fly a Kite" are but a few of the magical, sometimes whimsical, but always "practically perfect" songs that make this film such a wonderful musical experience.

And then there's THE MAGIC... the special effects! In its day, "Mary Poppins" was on the "cutting edge" of movie-making technology. Examples of these (what were then) ultra-modern special effects: this was one of the first films to use miniature robotics for animation. (That robin that lands on the window sill during "A Spoonful of Sugar" is a miniature robotic bird!) And, of course, this is also one of the first films to combine real-life actors and animation extensively (the entire sequence with Mary, Bert and the children inside the sidewalk chalk picture.) These special effects may seem a bit tame when compared with today's computer-generated graphics, but make no mistake: they're still eye-popping!

Go beyond all the glitz and glitter of the film, and you'll find at the heart of "Mary Poppins" a simple story about family, with important lessons for all of us - children and adults alike - on how we can make our homes better and happier places to live.

By today's standards, "Mary Poppins" may seem a little old-fashioned, even dated. But it's still a great kid's movie! With a well written, touching story, superb music, and outstanding special effects, it's at once brilliantly funny, poignant, joyous, carefree, and just plain marvelous entertainment.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: "Perfect Nanny"
Review: Mary Poppins is my favorite movie. I love the charictors, the singing, the dancing. It is fun for the whole family. When I was alittle girl I watched it over and over again. I love to dance with the chimeny sweeps; I can't do everything they do, but still. This is the best master piece Walt Disney ever created besides Micky and friends. I love it and I am a teen.

It is about a fun nanny who has magic. That is probobly why I like her. There is never a dull moment when Mary Poppins is around: fox hunting, laughing in the air, riding a merry-go-round without the going arout. One of the best parts of all, supercalafagilisticexpialadocious.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Practically Perfect
Review: In this day of plotlines running the speed of light, the pace of Mary Poppins is an acquired taste, but what a feast it is. All the Sherman and Sherman songs are good; "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," "Chim Chim Cher-ee" and "A Spoonful of Sugar" cast a giant shadow, but among the others is the poignant "Feed the Birds" ("Tuppence"), a gentle hymn for charity, and a showcase for matte painter Peter Ellenshaw's beautiful renderings of St. Paul's Cathedral. Ellenshaw and his mystical views of London in 1910 aren't meant to be literal, just imaginative, and fuse the animation elements with live action while acting as a strong character within the film. The music and choreography are both thrilling in the chimney sweeps' production number, "Step in Time". Staged by Marc Breux and Dee Dee Wood, and inspired by Michael Kidd, it uses movie magic to augment terrific dancing. Both "Feed the Birds" and "Spoonful" are in the third act, dishing up more visual sugar just when similar family films are winding down. "The Making of Mary Poppins" is very good and the 1964 promo film of the world premiere at the Chinese Theater is tacky and enjoyable. The two hour and twenty minute film seems effortless, but other 60s family films that attempted to emulate its magic fell short. They're on DVD too, but stick with Mary.


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